Waiting
by KitKat-Pyrophobia
Summary: James often wondered why he reacted so strongly to seeing Teddy Lupin kissing his cousin Victorie. It took him until the summer of Sixth Year to fully understand. Teddy/James twoshot
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter and anything related to it belongs to a bunch of companies that I have no ties to.

**A/N: **Okay, I lied. It isn't an Scorpius/Albus this time… but it is a Teddy/James with just a tiny mention of Scorpius/Al thrown in there for my benefit :D

_Part one _of a twoshot. :D I love this pairing…

Whooo for writing all of this in one sitting!

Enjoy :3

* * *

Sometimes James felt that his family was just _too big _to be in his house all at once.

Thoughts like these occurred mostly around the times of holidays, birthdays, Christmases… but they took hold of him and pounded a headache into his skull the most on the random little gatherings the entire family had somehow gotten a memo about and agreed upon throughout the summer. By mid-July, the auburn-haired boy was more than ready to escape home and get back to school for his Sixth Year… As much as he loved his family, they honestly got annoying sometimes.

He left the chaotic ruckus of the joint-kitchen-and-dining-room of the replacement Burrow, his family's modest home, to sit on the front steps. He could still hear the echo of all the noise inside (all of the women hustling around the kitchen, and the men trying to help and consequently getting shooed away), but it was more of a dull background than the usual loud, boisterous bustle.

James sighed, stretching his jean-clad lanky legs out in front of him and looking out at the field where upwards of fifteen broomsticks lay forgotten. He grinned. The field. That was where he was always the most rowdy of all, whether playing Keeper at his house or for Gryffindor at Hogwarts. The shiniest, best-kept broom of the pile was obviously his, and he felt pride swelling when he saw the mahogany handle gleaming in the bright sunlight.

But, after their earlier game (which James's team won), the family all headed inside for dinner. Which left James, tired out and wanting some quiet for a change, alone outdoors. And bored. He was sure he could go inside and harass his little brother Al or tease his cousin Rose in front of their friend Scorpius Malfoy, possibly pull a few pranks with Uncle George, but he just wasn't feeling lively enough to do much but stare into the distance and, if he was honest enough to admit it, wait.

Waiting was all he seemed to ever do for Teddy Lupin.

Wait for him to come over for dinner, wait for him to get back from Hogwarts, wait for the Prefects to finish duty so they could pull a prank…

Always waiting. Always wanting to be able to monopolize his nineteen-year-old friend's time, to have him look at him the same way he did his girlfriend of a year, his cousin Victorie…

But he would only admit that if he was being _very _honest with himself.

He didn't even notice that he was staring almost directly into the sunlight until the circular light turned darker, the afterimage burning his retinas until he was forced to look away. Nothing seemed clear, suddenly, but he knew it would go away soon enough.

A loud crack sounded, an evidently magical sound, but James didn't take note. The noises that came with magic were always around him, forever breaking the silence that would've been in any normal home.

Closing his eyes, he could still see the light on the inside of his eyelids. Resting his chin on his knuckles, he opened his chestnut eyes again to see an incredibly amused golden pair looking back at him.

"Merlin, Teddy!" James cried in shock, backing up two steps and blushing crimson.

The older man chuckled, the bright hue of his turquoise hair seeming to get only more saturated in his laughter. "Hey James," He said, grinning from still much too close to James.

James swallowed to try to regain some moisture in his now-dry throat. Teddy's face that close… those eyes so bright and intricate when he could see the entirety of the iris… dark eyelashes so long that they very nearly touched his brows… the blush on his cheeks didn't lighten in the slightest.

"Everyone inside?" Teddy asked, standing upright again from his doubled-over position, shoving his hands into the pockets of his slate-gray jeans.

The younger man nodded. "Victorie is in the kitchen," He said, trying to keep his tone from being grudging.

Teddy nodded almost appraisingly, his shaggy hair falling out of its well-kept place and into his eyes. He flicked it sideways, out if his lightly tanned face. "What are you doing out here, then?"

"Waiting for dinner to get finished," James replied, folding his arms over his knees and leaning his chin across his forearms, trying not to look the young man in the eyes.

"You aren't helping?" Teddy stepped forward and sat down next to James, his legs crossed at the ankle in front of him.

He shook his head. "It's too noisy in there."

Ted chuckled again. "I understand,"

James smiled, still feeling a bit shaky in the same way he always did around Teddy.

They sat in an awkward-for-James-but-comfortable-for-Teddy silence for a few minutes, the view in front of them becoming more and more familiar as both of their eyes scanned the distance again and again, James trying to do his best to avoid staring at the man beside him.

Teddy sighed. "I suppose I should go announce my arrival,"

James nodded, his heart dropping slightly as he imagined the overjoyed expression on Victorie's face as Ted held out his arms and scooped her into a warm greeting hug.

Standing up, Teddy reached down and tousled James's already-unkempt long hair. James ducked out of the touch mock-annoyed, but couldn't help but feel a certain heat from Teddy's hand as it touched his scalp, a certain skip in his heartbeat at his smile.

When he heard the door closing behind him, James exhaled noisily and shut his eyes again, this time trying not to see the afterimage of Teddy's face on his eyelids instead of the circle of light from the sun.

There was always something about the man that left James feeling exceedingly confused. It hadn't been a question for quite a while that he felt something abnormal for him. Thus had been true since he was around seven years old, watching the boy boarding the Hogwarts Express and feeling tears spill onto his cheeks, thinking about how lame the time would be without him around. Three years after his infatuated attentiveness of Teddy during any visit and school break, he'd seen the other boy gazing at his cousin Victorie with an incredibly dazed expression over dinner on Christmas.

This had caused more than a simple little sting of jealousy when he saw it, and when Teddy was accompanying him to bed to tell him about his year at school that night, James had, awkwardly as ever, confronted him about it.

"Why do you like my cousin?" James had asked, sitting up beside the fourteen-year-old Teddy in his twin bed with wide, curious eyes.

"What makes you think that?" An amused expression had crossed his face.

"You were looking at her at dinner," He'd admitted.

"Is that so?" Ted paused, smiling. "Well, don't tell anyone, but I like Victorie because she's very pretty,"

"Is that the only reason?" He'd asked, a tingle of immature jealousy coursing through him.

"And… because everyone expected me to," Teddy had replied in an odd voice.

"So?" He'd asked confusedly.

"So I'm odd enough being taken into this family. I want to make everyone happy." The other boy had said, looking down at James's broomstick-themed sheets with a strange expression to match his voice.

"Why did it have to be her?" He'd challenged in his raspy, prepubescent voice, still not understanding what Teddy was saying completely.

"Because she was always there," Teddy had shrugged.

"I'm always there! Why can't it be me?" He'd demanded, anger riling him up.

The older boy had chuckled. "You're a boy, James."

"So?" He challenged, honestly not realizing the oddity in this.

Teddy had looked a bit taken aback at his disregard of gender. "You're only ten,"

He pouted, crossing his arms as his bottom lip stuck out.

Ted had half-smiled. "I'm confused about what you mean by all of this."

Still angry, James had grumbled, "I want you to like me like you like Victorie," Without thinking much.

"You mean you have a crush on me?" The grin had grown, even though the slightest tinge of unease crossed his face.

James had blushed. "No!"

He laughed. "Oh, Jamie… I'm sorry, I just don't see you that way."

The ten-year-old had crossed his arms again. "Well, you should start."

Five years later, James knew that that "fight" with Teddy was what made him realize that he favored boys over girls and Teddy Lupin over any boy, it took him until Christmastime of his same Fourth Year to completely understand.

It was hard to say the least, going through his awkward puberty stage, well, awkwardly, and feeling more confused about his sexuality and growing up every day. Honestly, he didn't want to accept the fact that he was different than any of the other men he was around in his family, didn't want to tell anyone about his odd feelings towards other boys. One in particular.

Teddy had asked him why he was being so moody many times after James's attitude changed because of the fright and confusion and discomfort and loneliness he'd felt because of his odd tendencies, but he'd never really bothered to answer him. They'd never fought before, but James found himself mouthing off the person he'd considered his hero much more often than ever before.

Still, he'd always counted Teddy Lupin as one of his best friends, if not his best friend of all (due to the fact that he'd welcomed him to Hogwarts with open arms, never ignoring him or brushing him off for being so much younger), and he thought he would feel more comfortable telling him first than anyone else.

When he'd admitted it an Easter Break later when they were lazily flying across their makeshift Quidditch pitch, the two words coming out of his mouth in nervous little croaks, Teddy had actually laughed, eyes lighting up, and replied, "I figured as much. I mean, you've had a crush on _me _since you were ten,"

James had only the energy to smile weakly then, letting his heart race in his chest as he found out that Ted had never forgotten about that conversation they'd had four years prior.

Even though it was apparent that Teddy had never forgotten, James had never gotten any signs from Teddy that he was the same way, or that he had any interest in James at all. James, over the rest of that school year, came to accept (though with a broken heart) that Teddy was straight as a wand, and either way, the now-eighteen-year-old wouldn't see a Fourth Year in any sort of romantic light. He tried his hardest to get over his friend, but found that he really just _couldn't_. Every time he looked at a guy with interest, his mind somehow drifted to how the attractive aspects of the person reminded him of Teddy. Every time he tried to get his mind off the man, they only slammed back into his thoughts with more vigor. Though he knew that Teddy had some vague idea about how he'd always felt about him, James was ready to tell the boy his feelings in a more eloquent way than he had when he was ten and tucked into his Quidditch sheets.

Something just never seemed right, however. He couldn't muster up the courage to admit something so heavy to his best friend when he watched the man looking at his cousin with such a look in his eyes, could never gather the energy to do so when he heard Teddy speaking to her in soft tones from around the corner… Needless to say, he never got a chance to speak to Teddy about it.

James had often wondered why he reacted so strongly to seeing his cousin Victorie kissing Teddy Lupin. After alerting his family about the sight that'd honestly shocked him enough into some sort of normal reaction, after hearing them wistfully speaking of their future union, he'd drifted back on the train and demanded his own compartment to sit and just think.

The conclusion that wasn't all too hard to come to, with the evidence of every inch of his being aching with jealousy and hurt, stomach churning, heart falling, body feeling cold and empty, was that he was heartbroken over the boy. The strange little crush he'd felt over the years had somehow turned into something much deeper, much more meaningful. Even if he knew that Teddy wasn't going to feel the same way he did, James couldn't help the horrible feeling that came with the realization.

At first, it was almost unbearable to see the two together. They were so obviously happy that it made James sick at his stomach to see the shining in their eyes, made jealousy roar into his throat whenever he saw their cutesy little touches and affectionate gestures as he wondered what it would be like to have Teddy look at him, touch him, kiss him just like that…

Over time, he became desensitized to seeing them. The stabbing pain he got numbed a bit to a dull ache, and he saw that he could live with the fact that the man he was undeniably in love with didn't (and would never) reciprocate his feelings. He got used to hearing the giggling women talking about future plans for marriage, used to Teddy scratching the back of his neck guiltily when he told James that he couldn't do anything that weekend because he was spending time with Victorie.

It was difficult, and heart-wrenching, and made the already-troubled and isolated James feel completely and entirely alone.

But still, the months dragged on and by summer he was comfortable with being around Teddy again, whether alone or in the company of his family; he was able to repress the feelings of longing and loneliness he felt around the older man to a minimum, and any childish ideas he'd had about telling Teddy about his feelings were abandoned.

It was easier to think that Teddy was better off not knowing at all than for James to give himself any false hope that one day they would be together.

"James! Dinner!" Albus's voice chimed from the doorway behind him.

James looked back at his younger brother in a flurry of emotions. His friend Scorpius was standing at his elbow, which caused the corners of James's mouth to rise up sadly. _I hope you have a happier story than me, Al…_

He stood and followed the pair of First Years to the dining room, scanning the magically-enlarged table (filled with over thirty people) for an empty seat near the adults. Almost instantly, his eyes met with Teddy's animated ones and he was beckoned to sit beside him.

James felt a small pain in his chest, but he still smiled and weaved his way through the children and adults to the seat near the middle of the table.

"Are you all right?" Teddy asked quietly when James sat down.

"Yeah, fine," James lied, "Why?"

"No reason," Ted's eyes stared straight ahead of him, almost scarily emotionless, the toffee-tint of them fading into a gray.

James continued to look at him in concern, wondering what could be troubling the older man…

Despite the circumstances of having to see the happy couple's ostentatious displays of affections, dinner was an anticlimactic feat. There was raucous laughter coming from all ends, jokes and pranks and exploding puddings all around, talks of work and school and Quidditch and James actually found that he was enjoying himself. The feeling of isolation usually ever-present was pointedly missing in the company of his family, the longing for Ted's touch sufficed by the warm brush of their knees due to the table being so cramped.

And if he wasn't imagining it, the usual brightness in Teddy's eyes when he was anywhere near Victorie was missing as well… the affection was at a minimum, and the shy little smiles shared between the two were traded with Ted and James's eyes meeting every once in a while.

Long after all the food was consumed, after the stories had all been told and re-told, idle chat and clanging of plates being passed around to be cleaned began. Hastily, James gave his plate to his mother and he bid everyone a goodnight, ready to remove him from the ideal situation he found himself in to prevent any false hope from bubbling over his tight confines of denial.

His knee still felt warm and tingly where it rubbed against Teddy's as he crossed through the living room to the stairs that led to his room.

"James!" The familiar voice caused him to stop in his tracks and turn around.

"I picked this up for you in Flourish and Blott's. I thought you might enjoy it," Teddy said with more excitement than James had seen since the man went inside the house, holding out a modestly-sized hardcover book.

James reached out and took it, scanning the front cover. "One Thousand and One Quidditch Plays," He read aloud. Excitement and gratitude welled up in him, and he flipped to some nondescript page, looking over the picture diagrams and accompanying text with a wide grin on his face. "Thanks Teddy!" He said with genuine enthusiasm.

Teddy smiled softly. "You're welcome. I hope you enjoy it,"

With a final grinning glance at the blue-haired man, James continued his trek upstairs with the book just under his nose.

There was nothing more interesting to James than Quidditch… Teddy knew that very well. And even though he held somewhat of a vendetta against the bound pieces of parchment, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the pages as his eyes skimmed each before going back to re-read every single one.

He didn't even remember walking through the hallway to his room, closing his door, and sitting down on his bed, lighting the tip of his wand for easier reading in the dim room, as he was too engrossed in the Bludger Backbeats, Parkin's Pincers, Sloth Grip Rolls, and Wronski Feints expertly detailed and illustrated in front of his eyes. He didn't hear the noise downstairs dying down or the cracks of Apparation as his family headed home for the night as long as the book was unfinished in front of him.

Some hour and a half after he retired for the night, there was a knock at James's bedroom door.

"Hmm?" He asked halfheartedly, the acknowledging noise muffled slightly by his hands folded across his chin, his legs crossed with the book sitting in his lap.

"James, I'm leaving," Teddy's voice sounded from his doorway.

"Mhm," He grunted in reply, not even really hearing what the object of his affections said.

"Goodnight," There was a smile in Ted's voice.

James raised his hand in a noncommittal wave. The section about the Transylvanian Tackle was absolutely fascinating…

He heard the door close, but didn't pay much attention to the fact. He was studying the accompanying figure with the text when, out of nowhere, a hand appeared underneath the cover of his book, flipping it closed faster than he could stop it.

Angrily, he looked up to the perpetrator.

His eyes met with now-vivid ocher ones incredibly close up before they fluttered closed, a hand cupping his cheek, and a pair of lips against his.

_What…? _James thought as everything happened so abruptly. It took him an adrenaline-charged split second to evaluate the situation.

_On my bed. Was reading Teddy's book. Teddy walked in. Now kissing Teddy._

_KISSING TEDDY?__!_

_Awesome._

Smiling, fire flowing in his veins and lights exploding behind his eyelids, he reached forward and took hold of the fabric of Teddy's shirt, leaning into his touch and kissing back with all of the simplistic enthusiasm he could.

Teddy shifted his head to the opposite side, parting his lips against the other boy's. James was sure that he was in some sort of alternate reality where everything was suddenly in his favor. The feeling of Teddy's lips pressed on his after so many years of waiting… there were no words to describe it, only sensations. Spinning faster than Floo Powder, heart racing like he'd just run from Godric's Hollow to Hogsmeade and back, light in his closed eyes like he'd been staring at the sun for hours…

Affection. Love. Passion. All exploding into that one innocent-enough kiss that was everything that James could have ever possibly imagined it would be.

If James had had it his way, he would've never let those perfectly smooth, perfectly contoured lips leave his own. But, after a few more moments of pure electricity, Teddy pulled away.

James didn't open his eyes, wanting to re-live the short minute of pure ecstasy and feeling just a bit afraid of what he would see in Teddy's.

He heard the older man chuckle breathily. He felt him caress his cheek with his thumb in the affectionate way he'd seen him do to Victorie, the way he'd so longed to feel.

Opening his eyes, he looked up into the golden ones to see them brighter and closer than he ever had. James offered a weak smile, energy still coursing through him.

"Goodnight, James," Teddy said quietly and stood up from where he was half-kneeled on the bed.

"G'night," James replied in a raspy voice, his racing mind hardly able to form any syllables.

With a final crooked smile backwards, Teddy opened his door again and walked out.

A few very tense seconds later, James's quickly flashing thoughts came to an unexpected halt.

_I just kissed Teddy Lupin._ He thought, his hand moving up towards his mouth to touch his tingling lips.

His mouth formed into a wide, slightly goofy, smile. _And it was bloody amazing._

After the momentary focus, he went into another flurry.

If he just kissed Teddy, then where did that leave them? Were they together? Surely not; Teddy was still with Victorie. Does that mean Teddy just cheated on her with James? Shouldn't he feel bad for betraying his cousin like that? Would they kiss again? Would they tell anyone? Did he _want _to kiss him again? Merlin, _yes_ he did… There was nothing in the world that felt so _beautiful _to James… even when everything about it was immoral and all-around wrong…

He blamed it on being in love, but something about morals and righteousness and loyalty seemed all too Hufflepuff for James in that moment…

He didn't care what happened, where it left them. James had already been through hell to get where they were (as surprising as it was), so there was nowhere to go but up from there. People would get hurt, he could already feel that in the pit of his stomach, whether it was him or Teddy or Victorie. But James concluded that he would give up all the future happiness in his life to just feel Teddy's lips against him one more time…

James just had to wait until they were together again.

* * *

**A/N: **So I totally looked up all of those moves in _Quidditch Through the Ages_ :D

Right. So, the final chapter should be up pretty shortly. I'll say… Thursday? Cool?

Thanks for reading :D If you wouldn't mind, _please review_. I won't judge any of your opinions, promise XD

_KitKat Pyrophobia_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I still do not own Harry Potter…

**A/N: **Final installment… resolves things :D

On with the story!

* * *

Two years to the date after that life-changing day, James sat in one of a few armchairs by the fireplace of the Potter household, distractedly participating in conversation with the ever-large group of people congregated in the room.

On the sofa across from him, Teddy Lupin was looking straight into his eyes with a guilty, apologetic expression. On Teddy's lap sat Victorie, who was also taking part in the conversation, hands absentmindedly stroking unkempt blue hair.

James rolled his eyes, clenching his jaw at the affectionate display. Even after two years, none of his cousin's appeal to such demonstrative actions had worn off. Teddy's hadn't either. However, as opposed to Victorie's, his were shared between two people instead of one.

The auburn-haired Potter was never fully happy with the idea that he was betraying his cousin by cheating with her boyfriend, but after that first kiss, he couldn't bring himself to stop. After two years, Teddy and James's stealth had become expert, the stolen kisses and discreet touches (and some things that would horrify his little brother Al if he ever found out had happened on his bed once) always escaping the notice of everyone else around.

It was a bit awkward at first, and James had to get used to the fact that, even though his attention was partly on him now, Teddy was still officially with Victorie. The fact left an opening for stomach-twisting insecurity on his part, and there had been even a few times with Teddy that he felt hot tears rolling down his face as the thought crossed his mind that the man might love Victorie more than him, that their relationship might just be "fun" for Teddy, that he might not be serious about it like James was…

The first time he voiced these thoughts to Teddy in an incredibly choked voice was the first time that Teddy told James that he loved him, and he loved him much more than he ever did Victorie. He'd said, with a quiet conviction that James couldn't help but believe, that he was sorry he couldn't be with him properly, but the world was too insensitive to guys like them, how he was already an outcast because of who and what he and his parents were, and how he'd wanted nothing more than to make his adoptive families happy…

"How happy can being unfaithful to their daughter make them?" He'd asked bitterly.

James couldn't _not_ understand Teddy's words and the meaning behind them. Still, though, since the first day, James had wanted more than to shout from the rooftops how ridiculously in love he was with Teddy Lupin… he could hardly do anything like that when he had to keep their entire affair a secret from everyone for Teddy's sake.

He forced himself for two years to be content with what they had together, so unlike anything else he ever felt. Their love, pure and honest and straightforward as it was, and his and Teddy's futures were too much to sacrifice for the chance to tell anyone about their relationship…

But that didn't mean that James wasn't exceptionally jealous when he saw Victorie pecking him on the lips every few minutes.

Over time, the insecurity was completely diminished with every word Teddy said with that_ look _in his eyes, every touch he felt was so right, every night he whispered "I love you"s into his skin. By the time he watched Victorie on his lap, giggling into his neck, Teddy's face convincingly portraying amusement, James knew that it was him that Teddy _really _wanted, the one he thought about when he was away for Auror training, the one that made his heart pound and his mouth dry, the one who could make his hair brighten and his eyes melt.

And as he watched him place a light kiss on Victorie's cheek, he was quite convinced that Teddy imagined James's skin under his lips.

And that thought alone was enough.

Laughter erupted from around him, breaking James out of his reverie.

"All right, James?" Albus asked from the floor beside him.

"Yeah, why?"

The younger boy shrugged. "You looked distracted."

James chuckled. "I'm fine, don't worry."

Al nodded and laid his head back onto the shoulder of Scorpius Malfoy.

Golden eyes caught his, now questioning.

Feeling rather devious, a certain heat crawling through his skin, James smirked. "What time is it, Al?"

"Just past midnight,"

"That explains why I'm tired, then," He lied, feigning a yawn. "I'm going to head to bed," James continued, standing and stretching, making a show, sure Teddy could see, to allow his t-shirt to rise up teasingly just above his hip bones.

"G'night, everyone," He said, waving halfheartedly and turning up the stairs to his room.

Once at the top, around the corner and out of sight of anyone, he halted and waited.

After a safe amount of time, five torturously slow minutes, he heard Teddy take the bait and tell the company that he was going to the restroom.

James grinned and continued on to his room, where he turned off the lights, closed the door, and hurried to his bed to lay unconvincingly atop the sheets without removing his clothes or glasses.

Less than a minute after he laid down, skin feeling tight and body refusing to sit still, he heard the door open and close once again, this time with an accompanying _click _that meant that it was locked.

"James Sirius Potter," Teddy's voice was low and warning and made James's skin crawl with anticipation.

Still keeping his façade of sleepiness, he sat up and turned towards the doorway. However, Teddy was already at the edge of his bed, startling James a bit with his quickness. Almost coyly, he smirked.

Wasting no time, surprising James even more with his fervor, Teddy moved onto the bed, one knee beside each of James's hips, hands pinned just beside the halo of hair surrounding the younger man.

James grinned deviously, excitement coursing through his body as a fire erupted in Teddy's eyes. He reached upwards and fisted his hands in the twenty-one-year-old's collar, but he didn't need much help pulling Ted's face down to his as Teddy knotted his hands in James's hair and bent down into a soul-shattering kiss that made James's body go completely numb.

Excitement suddenly melded with lust and want and _need _as the kiss did nothing but get hotter and heavier as the seconds of desperate touching turned into minutes of feverish friction.

Breaking apart, both gasped for breath. James's eyes were half-lidded, his mind still cloudy with the aftermath of the kiss, his body feeling hotter than it had in much too long. Their breath mingled between their swollen lips, the air and the scent moving through James's mouth into his throat, running through his veins, into his very bones until he couldn't feel anything but Teddy filling his world.

"Merlin, James," Teddy panted in the younger man's ear.

The sensation of the warm breath at one of his most sensitive points caused a groan to escape James's lips and his hips to raise and roll against Ted's.

A sharp intake of breath sounded from the older man, hands pulling tighter at James's long hair; in turn, he bent down and attacked James's neck with rough kisses and nips and everything else he knew drove the boy over the edge.

Of their own accord, James's hips rose again to rub against Ted's, sliding up the thigh that was now perched in between his legs (no doubt feeling exactly how the older man was affecting him) that allowed their bodies to press against each other from lips to shoulder to hip.

James was writhing as his neck was given so much attention, his body reacting accordingly, Teddy's breath and scent and friction becoming all too much for him to handle as the older man's hips continued to grind into his own.

"James…" Teddy breathed out desperately, and he once again joined their lips, tongues sliding with each other to allow James to taste what he could never describe with words to be so _amazing_, what he could only experience and fantasize about and _love _about Teddy Lupin.

The older man took initiative and ran his hands from where they roamed along the younger, skinnier man's body to the hem of his t-shirt, lifting the fabric and moving heated, frantic hands over the feverish flesh beneath.

James arched into his touch, allowing the piece of clothing to raise higher, his arms moving from where they were around Ted's neck, pulling him unbelievably closer, to above his head. Rationality evaporated underneath the desire pumping through his veins, his heart feeling as if it was going to burst any second from what Teddy was making him feel.

The shirt slipped easily over his head, causing their lips to break from each other for a precious second to allow them to catch their breath before they simultaneously melted into each other once more.

James's hands slid down to Teddy's waistband, teasing his fingers along the now-tight cloth, allowing his hands to squeeze the deliciously shapely hip bones just above. "Teddy," He panted as the older man's lips left his own to move down his collarbone to his flushed torso that moved into the sensation, "I love you,"

Biting at the tender flesh of his chest, Teddy hummed in approval, causing James's body to do the same, and replied, "I'm sorry about Vic,"

James let out a breathy chuckle, hands moving to weave his fingers through Ted's fluorescent turquoise hair. "Don't worry about it,"

Teddy backed away from James abruptly, leaving his chest heaving underneath him, hair disheveled, lips bruised, eyes unfocused as ever.

"James," He said, contemplating the man beneath him with serious eyes. "I want to tell them."

The seventeen year old's eyes widened in shock as he rose up on his elbows. "What?"

"I…" He paused, breath heavy, eyes swimming as their lower bodies were still pressing together, "I want to tell them about us,"

"Tell who?"

"Everyone,"

"A-all right," James stuttered, the intensity in Teddy's voice causing his mind to blank out for a moment. "Why?"

"I want you, not Vic. It's not fair to her that I'm stringing her along, and not fair to you that I'm keeping you hidden away." Ted reached out a hand and caressed James's strong jaw. "I want us to be happy together, and I want everyone to see that we're happy together."

"What about work?"

"What _about _work?"

James shook his head. "And my family; you said you didn't want them to feel betrayed."

"I… I don't care if they get hurt. It's our life, not theirs. And I want _you _more than I want their approval… I love _you_, James."

Emotion washed over James in a wave that knocked his breathless, tears welling up in his eyes of their own accord. Unable to string together any complete thoughts, James leaned up and pulled Teddy into another searing kiss with more appreciation and _want _than any before.

Soon enough, James's back was against the bed, Ted's hands wandering his skin. James brought hands that were shaking from the heavy passion of their encounter to the buttons of Teddy's shirt, where he expertly popped each out of their hole and let the material hang open over the wonderfully lean, muscular chest that always rose James's body temperature a few degrees.

Nimble fingers glided over the smooth, taut skin, tracing patterns that caused Ted's breathing to speed up. James could feel that the older man's tolerance was waning by the way his kissing was frenzied, so much less tactful than before. Teddy's hands trailed down James's torso to the button of his strained jeans, where his fingers fumbled with it, trying to remove the article as efficiently as possible.

"Teddy!" A subdued voice chimed from outside the doorway.

Both men froze instantly, their bodies chilling to the bone.

Hastily, Teddy hopped off James's body and his bed, buttoning up his shirt with trembling fingers.

James sat up and pulled his shirt back on, his body aching with longing at the same time it was filled with nervous anticipation.

"Teddy Lu-pin!" Victorie called in a sing-song tone.

Teddy picked his wand up from James's bedside table, flicking it once. "Lift the Silencing Spell when I'm gone," He commanded, face flushed still.

James nodded, and a loud _crack! _sounded. He knew that he was the only one who could hear Teddy Apparating to the restroom, where the man had said he was going to be in the first place. James grabbed his wand in one hand while the other ran through his hair. He lifted the spell.

About a minute of expectancy later, the sound of a door opening came from down the hallway, and James rounded up his Extendable Ears as quickly as he could, stuck one flesh-colored end through the crack under his doorway, and sat against his door in order to hear.

"What, Vic?" Teddy asked, his tone light.

"Kiss me, Teddy," She said in a sickeningly sweet, breathy tone that caused James's insides to twist. His eyes clenched together when he heard the tell-tale sounds of kissing from somewhere now just beside the staircase.

"Just how many butterbeers have you had tonight?" The older man's voice had a slight edge of annoyance under the friendliness.

"Not many, actually," Victorie replied. James could just imagine her bright blue eyes shining, long blond hair falling flawlessly over her shoulders as she bent her head upwards.

They kissed again. James held his breath, heart cracking steadily.

"Vic, wait. I… I need to talk to you about something." Teddy's voice was much more serious now.

James felt his eyebrows shoot to his hairline, wondering if Ted was actually going to do what he thought he was… his heart began to race, breath remaining locked outside of his lungs.

"Victorie, I think you're absolutely amazing. You're perfect, and the most beautiful girl in the world. And I—I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with you."

"What are you saying, Ted?" Her voice was excited, and James felt very sorry that she was getting the wrong message from what Ted was saying.

"Just listen, Vic. This… is hard to say. I love you, you know that. But, I… I… Well, about seven years ago, I had a fight with someone because they were jealous that I liked you… the person told me to start looking at them like I did you… So I did." He paused and let out an exhale. James couldn't help but smile at the memory of their fight that seemed all so trivial, "And, I—I fell in love with them."

"Who is it?" Optimism still shone in her tone.

"I'd rather not say."

"Please?"

Teddy sighed again. James could picture him looking at the ground, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "Okay, but don't hold it against him."

"Him?" Her voice was now choked as she realized that Teddy _wasn't _talking about her. James felt his heart drop. As much as he'd been awaiting this moment for what felt like a lifetime, he never expected that he would hear his cousin's heartbreak first hand.

There was a tense pause.

"Teddy?" She prodded expectantly.

"James." He said quickly. James's heart lifted.

A sob sounded from the girl. "Have you been…?"

"Yes." He said in a strained voice.

Another sob, a more violent one. "How long?"

There was a silence for a few moments. "Two years,"

Victorie was no longer holding back, crying with rattling breaths.

"Victorie, I'm so sorry. You deserved so much better, and…" He exhaled. James could hear that he was holding back tears. "I'm truly sorry that I did that. And that I hurt you."

"Teddy…" She sobbed.

"I'm so sorry, Vic." He said quietly.

"How could you…?"

"I… We… didn't mean for it to happen. We just… couldn't help it. I understand if you don't believe me." He paused, and then whispered, "I'm sorry, Vic."

"Are… are you two happy together?" She asked after a moment's silence.

"What?" Both James and Ted were taken aback by the question.

"Are you and J-James happy with each other?"

"Yeah," Ted replied softly, a smile in his voice.

"Well," She waited for a second, her cries quieting, "I'm glad that… you're happy. Even if it's not… with me,"

James felt a swell of affection for his cousin. He expected hostility and death-wishes and all of the worst reactions from her when she found out, but he was reminded of just how kindhearted and selfless she was by her response. He could imagine that it was the reason Teddy fell for her in the first place.

"Thank you so much, Victorie," Ted had a very sad note in his voice.

He heard her walk away then, most likely down the stairs by the way that her footsteps grew quieter and not louder. Feeling shaky and numb and excited and guilty and every other emotion under the sun, he gathered his Extendable Ears and set them down on the desk right beside the door, leaning against the piece of furniture in shock.

"All right, James?" Teddy asked, standing in his doorway.

James hadn't even noticed the door unlocking or opening, but the sight of Teddy's conflicted face was enough to bring him back into reality. "You just… broke up with Victorie," He stated the obvious.

He nodded forlornly, hands deep in his pockets just like James suspected they would be.

"Now… we can be together?" James said confusedly.

A smile perked up the corner of Teddy's mouth. "Yeah, I guess we can."

The younger man felt his mouth break into a wide grin and then, instantly afterward, mould against Teddy's.

After a chaste kiss that somehow seeped with prevalent tones of liberation and pure happiness, James backed away from Teddy, arms around his neck, still grinning. "You're not a taken man anymore,"

Teddy smiled just as widely as James, tightening his hold around his waist. "Yes I am." He countered, dipping his head just slightly to press his lips against the only slightly-shorter boy's for a half-second.

"Want to go downstairs?" James asked, feeling like he should parade around the man he could now call his own.

"Not really," Teddy said slyly, looking pointedly at the bed behind James.

James's eyebrow quirked upwards, the suggestion in Teddy's request heating his body again.

"Where is Ted?" A voice passing by the foot of the stairs caught their attention.

Teddy, looking grudging, took James's hand and led him to a space around the corner of the stairway. James's heart leapt at the feeling of their fingers laced to where anyone could plainly see them if they were to walk up the stairs.

"Didn't he say he was going to the restroom?" James recognized the second voice as his little brother.

"Oh, he probably got caught upstairs with James." His Uncle George's voice said nonchalantly.

There was a comfortable silence until the sound of rasping sobs broke through it. James's heart fell, and when his eyes caught with Teddy's, he could tell the boy felt the same way he did.

"What's wrong?" His mother asked Victorie.

"Teddy… just broke up… with me." She said between choking cries.

There was a collective gasp from the room. No one expected such a sudden break-up when they were all counting on wedding bells.

Half of the crowd offered their sympathies, while the other, more curious, half asked, "Why?"

Teddy's grip tightened on James's hand, his eyes shut tightly. James felt anticipation crawling up his bones.

"Because… he said he—"

"Fell in love with James," Ted cut in, moving into sight at the top of the stairs.

There was another unified gasp mingled with a few snickers and uncomfortable coughs; James could tell a good few of the crowd was waiting to see if it was a joke or not.

Teddy now fidgeted, his hands shaking; James stood awkwardly half-behind him, their hands still together. Everyone already knew he was homosexual, but no one suspected that Teddy was… especially with the younger cousin of his girlfriend.

There were a few disapproving glares from his family members that were closer to Victorie, a few hurt glances, a few questioning ones, but even more approving or indifferent ones. James felt a wave of pride as his little brother grinned up at him as if James was his hero. Glancing towards his parents, he saw confusion and a bit of disappointment, but overall consent. The corners of his mouth turned upward, his heart lifting as he realized that even after all that he was putting Victorie through, all of the lying and covering up the fact, his family was going to be okay with him being together with Teddy.

They were going to be together after so much waiting.

"Well," Uncle George broke the stiflingly awkward silence, "At least we don't have to worry about James getting pregnant."

The room filled with laughter, but all James at Ted could manage were weak, relieved smiles.

On gelatin legs, James tugged Teddy back in the direction of his room, wanting to get away from all of the attention.

Once back in the hall, they heard a call of, "Don't forget the Silencing Charm!", a scandalized, "George!", and all of the accompanying laughs.

James actually laughed as he turned his doorknob.

Teddy chuckled lowly from just behind him. "You think he's kidding," He said in James's ear, causing goosebumps to erupt all along his arms.

Obediently, James headed to his bed, shooting one last glance backwards to Teddy to see his face plastered with a predatory smirk.

Sitting down on the bed, he waited for his love to join him.

* * *

**A/N: **So, things got pretty heated for a second there… that was fun to write :3

This pretty much wrote itself when I was in California on vacation… going to San Francisco only spurred on my slashy tendencies :D

A Scorpius/Al next time… or possibly a Rose/Scorpius… pssh I don't know XD

Hope you enjoyed! Remember to _review_, _add to favorites_, etc...!

_KitKat Pyrophobia_


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